Ultraviolet cured peelable film and method therefor

ABSTRACT

Radiation cured peelable film useful as a surgical drape or wound dressing includes a copolymer of a vinyl monomer and an acrylate capped polyurethane prepolymer. The cured film may be prepared by casting a mixture of the vinyl monomer, prepolymer and a photoinitiator onto a surface as a liquid film and exposing the liquid film to ultraviolet light.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to films, and more specifically, relates to afilm forming liquid which is ultraviolet curable to an in situ formedsurgical drape or wound dressing.

2. Background of the Invention

Conventional surgical drapes and wound dressings are composed ofpreformed films which may be solid but are generally porous. Such filmsare conventionally referred to as continuous and are usually adhered tothe skin by a suitable adhesive. Several disadvantages result from thisprocedure. For example, preformed drapes often do not form a tightcontinuous seal with the skin so that avenues are available forbacterial penetration. Further, preferred films are difficult to adhereover irregular anatomical contours such as hands and knees. Care must betaken that nothing other than the drape (as, for example, a sleeve of asurgical gown) comes in contact with the adhesive prior to emplacementof the drape.

Surgical drapes which are applied as a solution in an appropriatesolvent and subsequently cured by evaporation of the solvent are known.Cardarelli et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,126 discloses an antimicrobialfilm of a polyacrylic acid crosslinked with urea prepared by casting asolvent solution of the ingredients and evaporating the solvent. Goodantimicrobial effect, transpiration, skin adherence and resistance tobody fluids while being removable with soap and water are described.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,012 to Dell discloses an antimicrobial compositionapplied to the skin as a solvent solution which forms a film uponsolvent evaporation. The composition includes an isocyanate-terminatedpolyurethane prepolymer linked to an isocyanate-terminated copolymer ofan acrylate and N-vinylpyrrolidone by a chain extender. Iodine complexedwith the polyvinylpyrrolidone is included as an antiseptic.

Burleigh, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,544 discloses a sheet materialconsisting of a backbone polymeric membrane matrix having transmembranepassageways which are filled with a hydrophilic polyoxyalkylenepolyurethane applied as a prepolymer and cured in situ by heat or light.

Ultraviolet curing of acrylate terminated polyurethanes is disclosed bySzycher et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,759.

Several of the disadvantages of adhesively adhered preformed drapes havebeen addressed by these inventions, but deficiencies remain. Thesolvents used for casting may be irritative to the skin, and may requirea long time for evaporation. In particular, solvent evaporation in amedical environment such as an operating room may be both a healthhazard and a fire hazard. It is toward the overcoming of thesedeficiencies that this invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A radiation cured film is formed of a copolymer of a vinyl monomer and aprepolymer of a polyurethane oligomer and oxyalkyl acrylate terminalgroups. Preferred vinyl monomers are acrylates and vinyl lactams. Theoligomer may be formed of a polyisocyanate, preferably a diisocyanate, apolyol, preferably a polyesterpolyol, and a chain extending diol. Themost preferred prepolymer is the reaction product of isophoronediisocyanate, polycaprolactone and 1,4-butanediol. The most preferredvinyl monomer is N-vinyl pyrrolidone.

In another aspect of the invention, a method to form a peelable filmincludes casting a mixture of the vinyl monomer, the prepolymer and aphotoinitiator onto a surface to form a liquid film and curing theliquid film by exposure to electromagnetic radiation, preferablyultraviolet (UV) light. In the present disclosure, the term peelable isunderstood to mean that the film is removable in one piece withsubstantially no tearing or fragmentation, and the terms casting andcuring respectively mean forming a liquid film on a surface and causingthe liquid film to polymerize and solidify.

The cured film of the invention is ideal for use as an in situ curedliquid drape or wound dressing and overcomes problems associated withprior art, preformed wound dressings. The present invention is appliedto a patient's skin as a liquid and then cured to form a film. Thus, itflows freely into all depressions of the skin so that, when cured, nochannels remain to provide access routes for bacteria. This skin-tightfilm is achieved without the use of a toxic or flammable solvent whichmust be removed as required in prior art films. Because the films of theinvention are formed without solvent and are removable in one piece bysimple peeling, cleanliness in a medical environment is enhanced. Curingof the film of the invention may be carried out in a matter of secondswith a hand held ultraviolet lamp, a major advantage in an operatingroom where solvent evaporation is time consuming and a health hazard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention is satisfied by embodiments in many differentforms, there will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments ofthe invention, with the understanding that the present disclosure is tobe considered as exemplary of the principles of the invention and is notintended to limit the invention to the embodiments described. The scopeof the invention will be measured by the appended claims and theirequivalents.

The present invention provides a continuous film prepared by curing alayer of a liquid formulation with ultraviolet light. The cured film hasa balance of tensile strength, modulus, elongation and slit tearstrength which makes it ideal as a surgical drape or wound dressingwhich adheres firmly to the skin but which is easily removed by peeling.

In this disclosure, the following abbreviations are used.

PCL--polycaprolactone

PTMEG--polytetramethylene ether glycol

PPEG--polypropylene ether glycol

BDO--1,4-butanediol

IPDI--isophorone diisocyanate

HEA--hydroxyethyl acrylate

HEMA--hydroxyethyl methacrylate

IDA--isodecyl acrylate

2-EHA--2-ethylhexyl acrylate

THFMA--tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate

NVP--N-vinyl pyrrolidone

DMF--dimethylformamide

MEK--methyl ethyl ketone

The liquid formulation of the invention is a mixture of a vinyl monomerand a prepolymer having a polyurethane oligomer and oxyalkyl acrylateterminal groups. The polyurethane oligomer may be formed from apolyisocyanate, a polyol and a chain extending diol. Preferredpolyisocyanates are aromatic, aliphatic or alicyclic diisocyanates, suchas diphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate, diphenylmethane-3,3'-diisocyanate,IPDI, dicyclohexylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate, and hexamethylenediisocyanate. The most preferred diisocyanate is IPDI.

The polyol component may be a polyether glycol such as polyethyleneoxide, PPEG and PTMEG. Preferred polyols are polyester glycols, such aspolyethylene adipate and PCL. Particularly preferred polyester glycolshave a molecular weight from about 500 to 5000. The most preferredpolyol is PCL of molecular weight about 2000.

The chain extender may be a low molecular weight branched or unbrancheddiol of up to 10 carbon atoms or mixtures thereof. Representativenonlimiting examples of chain extenders are BDO; ethylene glycol;diethylene glycol; triethylene glycol; 1,2-propane-diol;1,3-propanediol; 1,6-hexanediol; 1,4-bis-hydroxymethyl cyclohexane, andhydroquinone dihydroxyethyl ether. Preferred chain extenders are1,6-hexanediol and BDO.

Reaction of the diisocyanate, polyol and diol to give the oligomer maybe carried out by heating the reactants for a suitable time, either neator preferably in a suitable solvent, such as MEK. A conventionalcatalyst, such as dibutyl tin dilaurate, may be used to accelerate thereaction. The ratio of the reagents may be chosen such that the oligomeris capped with isocyanate groups. Thus, any ratio may be used which hasabout one equivalent more diisocyanate than the combined equivalents ofpolyol and diol. For example a suitable oligomer may be formed from 6equivalents of diisocyanate reacted with about 0.5 to 3 equivalents ofpolyol and about 4.5 to 2 equivalents of diol. Most preferably, theoligomer contains about 1.0 to 1.2 equivalents of polyol and 4.0 to 3.8equivalents of diol. An example of a typical procedure for oligomersynthesis is given in Example I, however, various modifications of thisprocedure set forth therein are well-known to those skilled in the art.

A prepolymer having oxyalkyl acrylate terminal groups may be prepared byreacting the isocyanate caps of the oligomer and a suitable hydroxylatedacrylate. Suitable hydroxylated acrylates are, for example,hydroxyethyl, hydroxypropyl and hydroxybutyl acrylates andmethacrylates, although it is evident that a wide variety of otherhydroxylated acrylate derivatives may be used. Preferred hydroxylatedacrylates for oxyalkyl capping of the prepolymer are HEA and HEMA.

Reaction of the hydroxylated acrylate and the isocyanate caps on theoligomer may conveniently be carried out merely by adding the acrylateto the solvent solution of the oligomer and heating for a suitableperiod. If desired, recovery of the prepolymer from the solvent may becarried out by any conventional technique, as for example, by solventevaporation or by dilution with a solvent to precipitate the prepolymer,followed by filtration and drying. Preferably, the prepolymer in thesolvent is merely diluted with the vinyl monomer, as described below.

In some cases, it may be desirable to crosslink the prepolymer. Acrosslinking agent may be added to the mixture of diisocyanate, polyoland diol in order to crosslink the oligomer to any desired level.Alternatively, the crosslinking agent may be mixed with the hydroxylatedacrylate. Any conventional crosslinking agent as known in the art ofpolyurethane synthesis may be used. Particularly suitable crosslinkingagents are triols, as for example, trimethylol propane. The quantity ofcrosslinking agent may be from 0 to about 10 weight percent of thepolyol. It is understood that when the crosslinking agent is part of theoligomer, the total equivalents of polyol, diol and triol crosslinkingagent is one less than the equivalents of diisocyanate.

Although a film of the prepolymer may itself be cast and cured to give apeelable film of the invention, it is preferred to form a mixture of theprepolymer and a vinyl monomer prior to casting. The vinyl monomerserves to reduce the viscosity of the prepolymer for convenience incasting, and becomes part of the polymer matrix of the film upon curing.

A wide variety of vinyl monomers or mixtures thereof may be mixed withthe prepolymer, as, for example, IDA, HEA, THFMA, HEMA, 2-EHA, vinylacetate, 1,4-butanediol diacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate,2-phenylethyl methacrylate, and the like. Preferred vinyl monomers arelactams substituted on the nitrogen atom with an olefinic group, such asa vinyl or isopropenyl group. The lactam may have 4, 5 or 6 carbon atomsand thus, for example, may be a pyrrolidone, piperidone, piperazinedioneor caprolactam.

The preferred vinyl monomer is NVP, neat or mixed with one or moreadditional vinyl monomers, as IDA, 2-EHA or HEA. The weight percentageof vinyl monomers in the mixture to be cast and cured may be about 1 to50%, preferably about 25-40%.

A photoinitiator may be added to the mixture to catalyze thecopolymerization of the acrylate terminated prepolymer and the vinylmonomer. Any conventional photoinitiator as known in the art may beused. Examples of suitable photoinitiators are given in Szycher et al.,supra, and selection of a suitable photoinitiator is well within thepurview of one skilled in the art. Particularly useful photoinitiatorsare the Irgacure™ cyclohexyl phenyl ketone derivatives (Ciba Geigy).

An antimicrobial agent may also be added to the mixture prior to castingand curing. Any antimicrobial agent which is substantially stable toultraviolet light and which may be released slowly from the cured filmmay be used. Exemplary of suitable antimicrobial agents are povidoneiodine, chlorohexidene or chlorohexideneiodine complex. The quantity ofantimicrobial agent to be added may be from about 1 to 10, preferably 2to 6 weight percent.

In order to obtain the desired film properties, conventional additivessuch as flow aids, flatting agents, plasticizers, polymerizationinhibitors, heat stabilizers and surface cure modifiers may sometimes beadded to the formulation prior to casting and curing. A suitable surfacecure modifier, for example is TMPTMP, trimethylol propanetri-(3-mercaptopropionate).

Casting is a conventional operation, and in the present disclosure maybe performed by dipping, spraying, spreading or any other suitablemeans. Preferably, the mixture is cast neat onto a suitable surface, as,for example, silicone release paper or a glass plate. In the mostpreferred embodiment of the invention, the mixture is cast onto the skinof an animal, for example, over a wound or surgical incision site of ahuman being. The cast liquid films may be adjusted to any desiredthickness by conventional means, as a doctor knife, and may be fromabout 0.1 to 2.5 mm, preferably about 10μ to 1.0 mm thick.

Curing may be carried out merely by exposing the cast liquid film toelectromagnetic radiation, preferably UV light. A conventional UV lampmay be used, as, for example, a Conrad-Hanovia Model 45080(Conrad-Hanovia Inc., Newark, N.J.) or a Blak-Ray Model UVL-56(Ultraviolet Products, Inc., San Gabriel, Calif.). Surface cure occursalmost instantaneously. The length of exposure required to bulk cure theliquid film depends on the thickness of the film. In general, films offrom about 25μ to 1.0 mm in thickness are bulk cured in about 15 to 120sec. when the lamp is positioned about 15 cm. from the film. Parametersof curing such as lamp intensity, duration of exposure and distance ofthe film from the lamp are well understood by those skilled in the artand no further details are needed.

The cured films of the invention may be evaluated for their tensilestrength, modulus, elongation and tear strength by ASTM methods wellknown in the art. The testing results below are given in pounds persquare inch (psi) and pounds per linear inch (pli), which are equivalentto 0.07 kg/cm² and 0.178 kg/cm respectively. Tensile strength is ameasure of the force, generally given in psi, required to break apolymer. Elongation is a measure of the ability of a polymer to stretchwithout breakage, and is generally reported as a percentage of aninitial value. The term modulus defines the force (in psi) required tostretch a polymer to a given percentage of elongation. Tensile, modulusand elongation may be measured by ASTM procedure D 638 using an InstronUniversal Testing instrument, Model 1122. Slit tear strength is theforce (in pli) required to propagate a tear in a film along the line ofa previously introduced slit, and may be tested by ASTM procedure, D1938. Die C tear is the force (in pli) required to initiate a tear at apreviously introduced notch, and may be tested by ASTM procedure D 1004.

It has been found that tear strength is an important property fordetermining whether a film is suitable for use as a peelable drape orwound dressing. In general, a slit tear strength of about 5-50 plicombined with a die C tear strength of about 45-250 pli conferspeelability to the cured film of the invention. Preferred films haveslit tear and die C tear strengths of about 20-45 and 100-200 plirespectively. Broad ranges of tensile, and elongation which, whencombined with the tear strengths given above, define peelable films ofthe invention may be 1,000-10,000 psi and 150%-400% respectively.Modulus is a less important parameter, and may be from 10-1,000 psi at5% elongation.

Representative nonlimiting examples of peelable films of the inventionare given in Table I. The films were prepared as described in Example Ifrom the indicated commercial polyol, IPDI, BDO and HEA in theequivalent ratio 1:6:4:1.

                  TABLE I                                                         ______________________________________                                        Tensile     Modulus  Elongation                                                                              Tear Strength, pli.                            POLYOL  psi     psi @ 5% %       Slit Die C                                   ______________________________________                                        PTMEG.sup.a                                                                           2800    880      280     10   190                                     PPEG.sup.b                                                                            1500    465      215     11   120                                     (linear 2100    730      280     24   200                                     polyester).sup.c                                                              PCL.sup.d                                                                             2000    505      320     46   160                                     ______________________________________                                         .sup.a Teracol ™ 2000 . . . E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Co.               Wilmington, DE                                                                .sup.b NIAX ™ PPG 2025 . . . Union Carbide, Tarrytown, NY                  .sup.c Ruco ™ S-1059-55 . . . Ruco Polymer Corp., Hicksville, NY           .sup.d TONE ™ 0240 . . . Union Carbide, Danbury, CT                   

For comparison purposes, cured films were prepared from variouscommercially available acrylate capped polyurethane prepolymerscopolymerized with NVP by the procedure of Example I. The compositionand properties of these films are given in Table II.

                                      TABLE II                                    __________________________________________________________________________               A.sup.b                                                                           B   C  D  E   F   G   H  I   J  K   L   M   N                  __________________________________________________________________________    COMPOSITION, WEIGHT PERCENT                                                   COMPOSITION.sup.a                                                             UVITHANT ™ 782                                                                        100 100 70 70 70  70  60  60 60  70 70  70  50  40                 CHEMPOL ™                                                                             --  --  -- -- 15  --  10   5 15  15 10  --  --   5                 19-4833                                                                       PHOTOMER ™                                                                            --  --  -- -- --  15  10   5 15  15 --  10  --   5                 4770                                                                          AMICON ™                                                                              --  --  -- -- --  --  --  -- --  -- --  --  20  20                 LV-2321-59                                                                    NVP        --  --  30 30 15  15  20  30 10  -- 20  20  30  30                 DEAP.sup.a  2  --   2 -- --  --  --  -- --  -- --  --  --  --                 IRGACURE ™ 651                                                                        --   2  --  2  2   2   2   2  2   2  2   2   2   2                 PROPERTIES                                                                    TENSILE psi                                                                              2400                                                                              2200                                                                              310                                                                              400                                                                              1700                                                                              1600                                                                              2700                                                                              500                                                                              1000                                                                              620                                                                              3100                                                                              2800                                                                              2500                                                                              1900               MODULUS 5% psi                                                                            24  23 30 32 59  28  65  29 50  23 55  31  70  120                ELONGATION %                                                                             175 190 100                                                                              120                                                                              115 110 110 110                                                                              83  100                                                                              150 145 127 107                TEAR (Slit) pli                                                                           6   0   0  0  0   0   3   0  0   0  1   3   3   6                 TEAR (Die C) pli                                                                         130  78 16  8 50  26  32  30 26  17 50  120 50  49                 __________________________________________________________________________     .sup.a acetophenone based photoinitiator  Union Carbide                       .sup.b Although this formulation has physical properties which would make     it peelable, its viscosity was too high for effective casting.           

It is seen that these films exhibit adequate tensile strength andelongation, but tear strength is very low. In general, thesecompositions do not lead to peelable films.

In order to simulate actual use conditions, liquid films may be castonto pig skin and cured as given in Example II and their physicalproperties and peelability from the pig skin determined. Table III givesdata for three films prepared from IPDI, HEA, BDO, Irgacure™ 184 and theindicated polyols and vinyl monomers. The films of Table III are allpeelable.

                                      TABLE III                                   __________________________________________________________________________                     Tensile                                                                           Modulus                                                                            Elongation                                                                          Tear Strength, pli                            Composition      psi psi @ 5%                                                                           %     Slit  Die C                                   __________________________________________________________________________    1  TONE ™ 0305, 0.25 eq.                                                                    1568                                                                               33  233    7    67                                         TONE ™ 0240, 0.75 eq.                                                      2-HEA, 25.2 wt. %                                                             NVP, 14.0 wt. %                                                            2  NIAX ™ PPG 2025 1.0 eq.                                                                  1034                                                                              180  225   17    93                                         IDA, 9.8 wt. %                                                                NVP 26.4 wt. %                                                             3  TONE ™ 0240, 1.0 eq.                                                                     2298                                                                              390  285   34    159                                        IDA, 9.8 wt. %                                                                THFMA, 4.9 wt. %                                                              NVP 25.0 wt. %                                                             __________________________________________________________________________

Likewise, in live animal testing of various cured films of the inventionin accordance with Example III, the films of Table III are peelable.

EXAMPLE I General Procedure for Synthesis of Cured Films

A mixture of IPDI (6 equivalents), BDO (4 equivalents), 2,000 molecularweight polyol (1 equivalent), and 0.05% stannous octoate in MEK at 90%solids was heated and stirred at 70° C. until oligomer formation was98-105% complete. The mixture was cooled to 50° C. and 1 equivalent ofHEA was added. The mixture was stirred until the percent of freeisocyanate was 0.5 or less to give a prepolymer having oxyalkyl acrylateterminal groups. If necessary to maintain a workable viscosity some ofthe reactive diluent described below, may be added during a propolymerformation.

The prepolymer was combined with 2 weight percent of Irgacure ™, andsufficient NVP, optionally containing one or more other vinyl monomers,to give a total solid content of about 60%. Up to 10 weight percent of areactive diluent, such as IDA, may be added to reduce viscosity. Themixture was stirred until all components were homogeneously dispersed,set aside to allow all bubbles to escape and cast onto silicone releasepaper. The thickness of the film was adjusted to 50μ with a doctor knifeand cured by exposure to the Conrad-Hanovia lamp until a tacklesssurface was obtained, generally about 1 second. The cured film wasremoved from the release paper for evaluation of physical and mechanicalproperties.

EXAMPLE II General Procedure for Curing Onto Pig Skin

A belly section of pig skin was cleaned and degreased by wiping severaltimes with cotton balls saturated with acetone and finally with alcohol.Cured films were formed on the pig skin by the procedure of Example Iand allowed to remain on the skin in ordinary light for several hours todetermine whether oil blooming to the surface of the skin would causethe films to release from the skin. Data obtained for representativefilms is given in Table III.

EXAMPLE III Live Animal Testing of Peelability

A 40-45 pound pig was anesthetized, and a belly section was washed andshaved with electric clippers. Liquid films, prepared in accordance withExample I, were adjusted to a thickness of about 0.6 mm and were curedin situ with the Blak-Ray UVL 56 (2 minutes exposure) and Blak-RayB-100A (1 minute exposure) lamps. The cured films had tensile strengthsof 2500-2700 psi, elongation of 230-330%, slit tear strengths of 16-44pli and Die C tear strengths of 70-170 pli.

All films easily peeled from the pig skin intact.

What is claimed is:
 1. A peelable film comprising an electromagneticradiation-cured copolymer of at least a vinyl lactam and a prepolymer,said prepolymer comprising a polyurethane oligomer from the reaction ofa diisocyanate with a polyol and both hydroxyl groups of achain-extending diol, said oligomer having an oxyalkyl acrylate terminalgroup; said film having a slit tear strength of about 5 to 50 pounds perlinear inch and a die C tear strength of about 45 to 250 pounds perlinear inch.
 2. The film of claim 1 wherein said lactam is selected fromthe group consisting of lactams of four, five and six carbon atoms. 3.The film of claim 2 wherein said lactam is N-vinyl pyrrolidone.
 4. Thefilm of claim 1 wherein said diisocyanate is an alicyclic diisocyanate.5. The film of claim 4 wherein said alicyclic diisocyanate is isophoronediisocyanate.
 6. The film of claim 1 wherein said polyol is a polyesterpolyol.
 7. The film of claim 6 wherein said polyester polyol ispolycaprolactone.
 8. The film of claim 1 wherein said diol has from 2 to10 carbon atoms.
 9. The film of claim 8 wherein said diol is1,4-butanediol.
 10. The film of claim 1 wherein said oxyalkyl acrylateterminal group is selected from the group consisting of an oxyethylacrylate group and an oxyethyl methacrylate group.
 11. The film of claim1 wherein said copolymer further comprises a copolymerized second vinylmonomer.
 12. The film of claim 1 further comprising an additive selectedfrom the group consisting of a flow aid, flatting agent, plasticizer,polymerization inhibitor, heat stabilizer and surface cure modifier. 13.The film of claim 1 wherein said prepolymer further comprises acrosslinking agent.
 14. A peelable film comprising an ultraviolet-curvedcopolymer of a least N-vinyl pyrrolidone and a prepolymer, saidprepolymer comprising a polyurethane oligomer from a reaction of analicyclic diisocyanate with a polyesterdiol and both hydroxyl groups ofa chain-extending diol of no more than ten carbon atoms, said oligomerhaving an oxyalkyl acrylate terminal group, said film having a slit tearstrength of 5-50 pounds per linear inch and a die C tear strength of45-250 pounds per linear inch.